The present invention relates to a component supply apparatus and more particularly to a component supply apparatus for sequentially supplying components to a predetermined position by separating a covering tape from an accommodating tape, while the components accommodated in the accommodating tape at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction thereof ARE being moved with the components covered with the covering tape.
Referring to FIG. 1 showing a component supply apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention and including conventional portions described below, an example of a conventional component supply apparatus of this kind is described below. Components 1 accommodated by an accommodating tape 1a are pulled out along the upper surface of a component supply guide 2 and moved toward a component supply opening 4 of a cover 3 covering the leading end of the component supply guide 2. While the taped components 1 are being moved, a covering tape 1b is separated from the accommodating tape 1a accommodating the components 1 and wound around a winding barrel 6a of a reel 6. As a result, the accommodating tape 1a is fed to the component supply opening 4, with a component accommodating portion 1c thereof exposed to the outside as a result of the separation of the covering tape 1b therefrom. In this manner, the component 1 is picked up through the component supply opening 4.
When one type of components are to be replaced with another kind of components, it is necessary to remove the covering tape 1b from the reel 6 around which the covering tape 1b has been wound.
In order to facilitate the removal of the covering tape 1b from the reel 6, a reel body 6c comprising the winding barrel 6a of the reel 6 and a guide flange 6b positioned at one end of the winding barrel 6a in the axial direction thereof is separated from a driving shaft 6d and a driving-side guide flange 6e. Then, the covering tape 1b is removed from the winding barrel 6a of the reel body 6c separated from the driving shaft 6d and the driving-side guide flange 6e.
The covering tape 1b is wound around the winding barrel 6a by separating the covering tape 1b from the accommodating tape 1a. Thus, separation resistance is applied to the covering tape 1b. As a result, frequently, the covering tape 1b is wound comparatively tight around the winding barrel 6a of the reel 6.
Accordingly, the covering tape 1b cannot be easily removed from the winding barrel 6a. In addition, the guide flange 6b formed on the other side of the winding barrel 6a in the axial direction thereof prevents the operation of removing the covering tape 1b from the winding barrel 6a from being smoothly performed. Therefore, an operator inserts a tool or a finger between the guide flange 6b and the covering tape 1b so as to remove the covering tape 1b forcibly from the winding barrel 6a by pressing the covering tape 1b toward the open side of the winding barrel 6a. It takes much time and labor to perform this operation. While this operation is being performed, component supply operation is suspended and hence apparatuses have a low operation rate.
In order to solve this problem, the present applicant previously a component supply apparatus. In this apparatus, a portion of the periphery of the winding barrel of the reel is movable inward in the radial direction thereof to separate the covering tape from the winding barrel easily by separating the portion from the inner peripheral surface of the covering tape.
The apparatus is capable of easily removing the covering tape from the winding barrel, but has a complicated reel construction. Thus, the apparatus is expensive and problems are likely to occur.